Forever My Love
by dreamgoddess'92
Summary: Emily hadn’t even seen him coming." When Emily is attacked after trying to save a victim, Hotch tries desperately to keep her with him, but sometimes people are taken from this world despite our wishes.


Hey everyone.

This is just a little oneshot I started on a whim because I had to use this song for something. I recommend having a tissue nearby, just in case. This is a sad fic. I'm also working on another oneshot, but it's not sad and it's focused around Emily and Jack. I'll have that one up tomorrow. Also the 4th chapter of Days Go By should be up by Wednesday.

I do not own Criminal Minds (dang it) nor "Darkening Sky" by Peter Adams (a fantastic song btw)

Please enjoy and review

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_Oh come with me forever my love,_

_under the darkening sky._

_Come hide with me,_

_I'll save you my love._

_Hear me, I'll beg for your life_

The victim's name was Donna Jones and she only had little time left to live.

As they stormed the unsub's house, sounding like stampeding elephants, Emily's only thought was saving Donna Jones. It always struck her hard when she fit the victimology. Emily barely registered the adrenaline coursing through her system after Morgan kicked down the door. Her mind was set, her body tense and her mind completely focused on one thing. Saving their latest victim who, as Reid had pointed out earlier, looked uncannily like Emily herself.

Hotch went left and she went right. It seemed like the more cases they worked together, the more Emily and Hotch were able to read each other's minds. Not to mention the countless late nights at his place, helping him take care of Jack.

Emily refocused her thoughts and rushed around the corner of the staircase.

The echoes of 'clear' rang in the air like bells when Emily saw the basement door. Not waiting for backup Emily threw the door open; pausing to let her eyes adjust to the inky blackness before she descended into the abyss. Her nerves were wired on high alert and her ears perked to pick up any unusual sounds. Emily's gun pointed the way as she quietly walked down the stairs, her senses screaming 'danger.'

It all happened so fast.

Emily saw a bound and gagged figure laying not four feet from her and she called out Hotch's name along with 'I found her' before she approached Donna. Emily's gut twisted as she saw she wasn't moving.

Emily hadn't even seen him coming. Their unsub came from the shadows just behind her and Emily had no time to react. The stainless steal plunged into her side and down Emily went, but he didn't stop there.

Emily wondered if the pain that was shooting her body was what Hotch felt when Foyet stabbed him. She hoped not; it was too much. Before he could pierce Emily's skin one more time two shots rang out and their unsub, Ronald Ferris, fell dead.

Emily let out a feeble gasp of relief as Hotch rushed to her side. Morgan was not far behind and he fell down by Donna's side, checking her vitals. "I need an ambulance!" Morgan shouted and Emily almost laughed at the obviousness of her colleague's statement, but the sharp pain in her sides and abdomen stopped her short of a chuckle. Emily looked up and met Hotch's concerned eyes and tried to smile at him.

_Her hair is damp,_

_Her skin has turned cold,_

_There's hardly a sound that she makes._

_Oh stay my love,_

_Please open your eyes,_

_And promise me you'll never leave_

Emily could feel her sweat cool on her body as seconds ticked by. She couldn't say much due to the labored breaths that interfered with her vocal ability. Her mind was processing a mile a minute and Emily quickly calculated her chance of survival. If only Reid was there. She could barely feel the pressure Hotch was exerting on her worst wound. There was so much blood.

Emily was getting colder as she looked around the basement, not wanting to meet the panicked stare of the man above her. She could barely keep her eyes open. She could hear people moving around upstairs and she wondered where Dave and Reid were. She wondered if any one other that Morgan and Hotch knew what happened to her.

That thought alone was too painful to think about. Emily felt her eyes close, but Hotch's voice snapped her back.

"Emily, don't close you eyes. Stay awake Emily, stay with me." Hotch said letting his barriers crumble as he watched Emily's life ebb away with each breath she took.

Not again, please God not again. Wasn't losing Haley enough? Hadn't he paid his karmic debt to the universe yet? He couldn't lose Emily, not like this. Hotch continued to apply pressure to her abdominal wound but couldn't help but feel her life seeping from her body like her blood. He was losing her.

She wasn't breathing as loudly as she had a second ago. "Where the hell is that ambulance?" Hotch yelled, not caring that he sounded more like a panicked lover than a concerned boss. He and Emily were much more than teammates, but hadn't crossed that line yet. He had been too afraid that one of them would get hurt. Yet here he was, trying to stop her from dying. Hotch couldn't think of anything more ironic.

Morgan watched in horror as Hotch began to fall to pieces. Emily's chest wasn't rising much and her eyes couldn't stay open. Morgan wanted to yell, he wanted to throw something at the injustice of it all. Morgan saw Hotch take a hand away from her abdomen and gently stroke Emily's face, which prompted her to open her eyes for what Morgan feared was the last time.

_Oh my love,_

_stay my love._

_Hey angel there over her head,_

_Tell me the time hasn't come._

_Have mercy please on the one that I love,_

_Her body's to weary to run._

"Please Emily, please stay. Stay with me please: Don't leave me." Hotch said in a broken whisper thick with tears yet to fall.

Emily heard Hotch's words and felt her own tears pool out from her weary eyes. How could she leave him now? It seemed like just yesterday when Haley was killed over the phone and now he had to lose her too. It just wasn't fair, by any means. Emily used all her strength and lifted her hand that was shaking as she moved. Emily tenderly touched Hotch's face, like he had done hers, and smiled.

It was forced and it made her tears fall faster, but her body was slowing down. Her voice wouldn't come and her breath was barely a whisper. Hotch saw the effort and quickly grabbed her hand before it was too late. She struggled for words, but still nothing would come. She couldn't leave him without telling him.

Morgan felt his eyes burn and he had to look away. He couldn't take the overwhelming grief that threatened to overpower him as he watched their exchange. It was painfully obvious that they loved each other and he realized they hadn't told one another. Morgan knew they probably wouldn't get to either.

Time seemed to stand still as Hotch willed Emily to hold on for a little while longer. He heard Dave above yelling for the ambulance, but it still wasn't there. Deep down Hotch knew they probably wouldn't make it in time.

Emily kept trying to speak, but her attempts were in vain. The light began to dull around her and Emily knew this was it. Hotch saw the realization capture Emily and he shook his head violently, fighting death 'til the very end. It could not take Emily, not his Emily. Not now, not ever. He needed her to live. She had become his support, his love as she helped him through the endless guilt and fading grief for Haley's death. She kept him breathing at night.

_And suddenly a thunderous sound,_

_Like wings have taken flight._

_Straight up straight out,_

_From under the ground,_

_She's gone in the darkening sky_

Emily looked at Hotch and squeezed his hand as outside, the rain began to fall. Hotch felt his heart stop and the last thing heard in that house that day was the cries of a broken man and the whisper of a dying woman. '_I love you_'

- - - - -

The funeral was held five days later. It was a lovely ceremony, many gathered to mourn the loss of such a fine woman. Hotch and the team stood firm, not wavering in their stature. It was hard to do so knowing what had been lost, but they did it nonetheless. They needed to be strong.

Hotch stared at the casket, a sense of déjà vu enveloping his being as Jack's hand grasped his own. The little boy was still too young to fully understand the concept of death, but he seemed to pick up on the severity of the situation. He stood in between his daddy and a woman sitting in a chair and all was quiet as the pastor began to talk.

"There are no real words to express the grief we all feel here today. There are many standing before me who are probably filled with a bittersweet relief as they give thanks for having to only attend one funeral instead of the two it seemed there would've been. For that, I am thankful as well."

The team looked down at the seat to Hotch's right and held in their tears. Hotch grasped the fragile shoulder of Emily Prentiss tightly as the pastor's words caused an ache in his heart.

"Donna Jones was a remarkable woman…" the words fell upon the wind and Emily watched as Donna's husband and mother wept openly for the lose of their loved one. Emily felt Jack squeeze her hand and she squeezed back. He knew, with his childlike intuition, that it could very well have been her funeral he was forced to attend. Jack was a very smart boy after all.

Hotch let the pastor's words wash over him like a calming ocean wave and continued to thank God Emily had pulled though. When he had felt her go limp in his arms in that basement Hotch felt as if his heart had been ripped from his chest and set aflame. It was a pain one should never experience; one he hoped to never suffer again.

_Oh my love,_

_Stay my love._

_Oh my love,_

_Stay my love._

Emily couldn't really put into words the immeasurable relief that encompassed her when she opened her eyes in that hospital room and saw Hotch sitting by her bedside, reading a novel he managed to procure from Reid. His eyes were bloodshot and he had dark circles under them. He hadn't shaved in three days and his entire body looked worn down. His hair was unkempt and his clothes wrinkled. It had been a sight to behold, one she'd never forget.

When he looked up and their eyes met, Emily felt an overwhelming sadness posses her as she took in his dead stare. Hotch looked at her, almost disbelieving that she was awake and let the floodgates open. He rushed to Emily's side and took her face in his hands as they cried. They were torn between immense happiness and fear.

Emily had managed to talk her doctor into letting her attend Donna's funeral with the promise she'd take it very easy. Hotch gave the doctor his word he wouldn't let her overtax herself and that had been enough for her. She knew how devoted Hotch was to Emily, so Dr. Rocha knew he'd be careful with her.

The team had almost burst into tears as Hotch and Emily exited the hospital. Jack had been very gentle when he hugged Emily and he made her promise that she'd come over for diner that night. He didn't want her or his Daddy to leave his sight. Seeing Emily in the hospital had frightened Jack and made him very sad. He was glad she was okay.

As they lowered Donna into the ground, her husband laid the last flower on her casket and fell to his knees and wept. Emily let her tears go unchecked and felt Hotch stroke her cheek affectionately. Nathan Jones let his sister pick him up from the ground and leaned on her as everyone began to leave him to his grief.

Nathan looked up at Emily and Hotch and silently conveyed his message to them with a subtle nod. Emily and Hotch both nodded in return and Hotch helped Emily out of her chair. The team walked ahead, but not too far. They wanted to keep a close eye on Emily and Hotch.

As they walked in silence Hotch, holding Emily's hand steadily in his own, looked down at her as she looked up at him. "I almost lost you," he said quietly, not wanting to disturb the tranquility that hung in the air.

Emily held Hotch's gaze and felt a small smile bloom on her pale lips. She stopped real quick and kissed him on his warm cheek. Hotch watched as Emily looked upward, to the heavens, and then she looked back at him. Her eyes alight with something he couldn't describe; something peaceful and mysterious.

"You'll never lose me Aaron. I'll be with you forever." Emily said honestly professing her feelings once more with a steadier voice. Hotch felt the calm in Emily's eyes caress him and felt his own smile on his lips.

"Somehow, that still doesn't seem long enough for me." Hotch replied honestly and wrapped his left arm around Emily's side and continued up the hill to where the team was waiting for them; tearful smiles gracing their faces.

Emily chuckled softly and took a deep breath in, knowing exactly what Hotch meant. She wasn't going to leave him ever again and each moment she was able to have with him was a moment she'd treasure until the end of time.

_High on the wind the angels they fly,_

_Hovering over her grave._

_I'll dig this hole as deep as my love,_

_And bury her memory away,_

_And bury her memory away..._

_Oh my love,_

_Oh my love_

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You didn't think I'd kill Emily did you? Well, I've done it before, but I couldn't bring myself to do it again. I thought this was a perfect way to end the fic because someone was still buried by a loved one. I seem to be in a little morbid mood with my stories lately. I mean I just wrote about Matthew's death yesterday. I promise though, that my next chapters of Days Go By and my other oneshot are not sad. A little tense (maybe slightly angsty) but not sad. _

_I hope you enjoyed my story._

_Peace out._


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